


Out of The Shadows

by APermanentResidentOfTheFriendzone



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, world building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:35:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22122676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/APermanentResidentOfTheFriendzone/pseuds/APermanentResidentOfTheFriendzone
Summary: You ever hear that thing about secrets? How if you tell someone your secret, it isn't really a secret anymore? So technically speaking, telling a secret is the same as destroying it.Today, Serpentine would destroy the greatest secret he had kept in the last few thousand years. Hopefully it wouldn't destroy him as well.
Kudos: 4





	Out of The Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> A pretty short story, here. 
> 
> I'm just trying to make a few quick things with Serpentine at random points in the show as a means of better fitting him into the canon. Hopefully more of these will come soon. 
> 
> Enjoy.

They were high up on the Rocky Mountains that day.

Winter had only come recently to the region, but upon the plateau there already sat a blanket of snow and ice thicker than most deemed safe to even walk upon. Although, the condition of the environment was far from the biggest threat to their safety at the moment.

It was an absolute worst-case scenario. Where Garnet had foreseen there to be only one monster, there was instead three, all of them attacking the team ferociously with long, jagged thorn-like appendages as they let out earsplitting shrieks that thundered across the mountainside. Steven had commented quickly after that it sounded almost like a banshee. And with their deathly appearance, their matted, unkempt fur, thin, but speedy and unbelievably powerful legs, and six eyes of diseased tangerine, staring at them with such blind, animal hatred, they all subsequently agreed it they looked like them to. Then, they screeched again, and drove their thorn blades down at Amethyst, who was barely able to roll back out of the way in time.

Still, they fought, trying their damn best to keep up with the corrupted gem's almost sonic speed and erratic pattern, but they were never able to gain any advantage whatsoever. The monsters eventually forced them into a circle, the four of them crowding around Steven in an attempt to keep the monsters away from him.

Serpentine stood tall against the nigh endless barrage of thrusts, cuts and slices. He'd been trying to reverse the attacks of these thorns back at the creatures, but he'd already failed twice in this endeavor, and the monster had now grown wise to his plan, and thus started attacking him in a way that was even more unpredictable than before, forcing Serpentine to passively defend, and he was getting quite frustrated.

 _If I could just use my-_ he cut off that thought right away. No matter how desperate the situation, he could never entertain that possibility. He thought back to Garnet and Pearl, both with their backs to his, both of them trusting him with their very lives. If he were to ever truly expose himself to them, they would immediately hate him. How could they not? He was Commander Serpentine after all. Call him selfish, but he wasn't willing to do that.

It was during this inner argument he had with himself that the monster in front of him suddenly spun on one foot with the rest of it's leg out in a massive sweeping motion, catching Serpentine off guard and sending him sprawling to the icy ground. It then quickly raised it's thorn blade to thrust down at him. He leaped up quickly, just managing to sidestep the blade and feeling the rush of air it brought, even stronger than the winds around them. Unfortunately, since he had dodged the blade, it had simply continued on it's course until it found something to stop it. 

That something was sadly Garnet's right leg, just below the knee.

A great cry of pain was torn from their stoic leader as she fell, the other two monsters raising their thorn blades triumphantly, the wind whistling as they brought them screeching down upon the hapless gems. Only to be stopped abruptly by the sudden appearance of a brilliant rose dome, manifesting around the gems, who all turned in shock to see Steven, arms stuck out by his sides as he now endured the onslaught his friends could not.

"Nice save there, Steven!" Amethyst had shouted, her eyes still on the monsters just outside the bubble, whom had yet to cease their attacks. "Finally we can have a second." Only a few seconds after she'd said that, the creature she'd been facing quickly thrust it's thorn blade straight into the bubble, piercing the barrier and nearly Amethyst as well had she not been watching.

" _Ah! Sunova Credit Union! _" she cursed. "Never mind then!"__

__The monsters grew more aggressive with their strikes to the bubble. Steven held fast, but the cracks were still forming, and any moment the whole thing could break._ _

__"Are you okay to fight, Garnet?" Pearl asked worriedly, fingers tightening nervously on her spear._ _

__Garnet grunted at the dull pain she was feeling. The thorn blade had left her with a large gaping hole in her shin, fully passed through both sides. If she were human, that leg would be gushing blood like a faucet. Serpentine knew human anatomy well enough to know that._ _

__"I can't put any weight on my leg. I'm helpless!" she said as she eased herself into a kneeling position._ _

__"What are we gonna do, guys! Those things are gonna annihilate us!" Amethyst cried._ _

__Serpentine looked over to Garnet and Pearl. Then to Amethyst. Then to Steven. He sighed. It was no longer an option. Trust gained by dishonest means was not worth trading their lives. He would save them, so they could live to fight another day._ _

__And if they chose to hate him for what he truly was? Then so be it._ _

__"Then it seems the time for subtlety has long departed us." he murmured, rising up and backing towards Steven, mapping out the positions of the monsters and considering his plans of attack. Pearl looked at him with panicked confusion._ _

__"What are you talking about?" she shouted. Serpentine slowly glanced back at her._ _

__“Before anything else, just know that I truly am sorry. For everything." he said calmly. She only looked more confused as he turned back._ _

__Steven," he began. "drop the bubble." Steven looked at him incredulously, as did everyone else._ _

__"But they're-"_ _

__"Drop the bubble." he repeated, brooking no argument._ _

__Steven stared at him for a moment, and then, with a good leap of faith, he relaxed his powers and quickly collapsed from exertion._ _

__As the bubble dropped, the corrupted gems shrieked in their penultimate victory, simultaneously swinging their thorn blades down upon the puny vermin that challenged them. Only for them to all be stopped, and with a powerful push, were all flung back away from their prey._ _

__Serpentine landed back on the ground with a quick somersault and recovered, standing in ready position. The gems all stared at him in absolute shock. Around his torso sat a hardened leather strap, with a long scabbard attached._ _

__And in his hands, there was a blade. _The_ blade. Sleek and sharp as it had always been, the crafted steel gleaming in the light of the afternoon sun, long and slender shadows being cast alongside it's wielder._ _

__Garnet and Pearl could not believe their eyes. This whole time, all these years, it had been **him**. It was unmistakable. This was **the** Serpentine, hated enemy of the Crystal Gems, standing ready to defend them with his life. But why?_ _

__The monsters, having recovered, had grouped together, seething at the green creature that dared rob them of their kill with that pointy stick of his. The largest monster, their leader of sorts, screeched in rage and made a massive jump with it's powerful legs for Serpentine._ _

__Only to be surprised when the pointy stick struck like lightning across it's midsection. The monster didn't make it to the ground intact. The now two separate parts of it's body flopped hollowly in the snow, quickly disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving only it's tainted gem behind. Serpentine stood stock-still, the blade held backwards in his hand. He twirled it around smoothly in both hands, relaxing his posture, almost daring the others to step forth._ _

__The remaining monsters quickly rebounded, launching a volley of cuts his way at the same time, their speed and power somehow becoming even more dizzying with each blow. But Serpentine parried and dodged them all, pushing them back and showing them who the real master was in this fight._ _

__In desperation, the monsters launched a dangerous simultaneous thrust, all four thorn blades streaking towards him._ _

__He didn't even miss a beat, deflecting the blades downward, burying them into the ice as he jumped up, following his parry with a flawless cut._ _

__Their heads plopped uselessly in the snow, their bodies toppling over afterwards, landing in the snow with a somewhat muted thump, then quickly disappearing with only their gems remaining._ _

__Serpentine landed softly, snapping his blade down to remove the accumulated snow, then slowly sheathed it with a quick spin of the blade, sliding it into the scabbard effortlessly, as if it had been greased. He breathed out slowly a few times._ _

___**Good to see I haven't forgotten what I've learned.** he mused to himself. Noticing the still un-bubbled gems laying in the snow, he gathered them all up before brushing the snow up off of each of them, then bubbled them, gazing through their now somewhat distorted display with a somber fondness._ _ _

___**”Yan suimasu.”** he said softly to them, before sending them off. Soon they would join the countless others already captured. Hopefully one day, they wouldn't be so. But hope only carried so far._ _ _

___It was then that Serpentine heard footsteps rushing towards him. It seemed that Steven had recovered his energy, absolutely in awe of the performance Serpentine had just given them._ _ _

___"Serpentine! That was amazing!" he shouted, his eyes glowing at him just as if not brighter than the stars in the sky. Serpentine smiled sheepishly down at the boy._ _ _

___"You flatter me, Steven Universe. Thank you, though." he replied, crouching down on the balls of his feet. Steven then looked over his shoulder, staring at the hilt of the blade exposed from behind him._ _ _

___"That sword! That Serpentine you were talking about earlier today! The one who used to serve Yellow Diamond! You're that Serpentine!" he exclaimed. Serpentine's smile shrank slightly, but only slightly due to the innocent awe in the boy's tone. Even at this revelation of what stood before him to be a monster, he was still the same old Steven about it._ _ _

___"Yes. I am." he said quietly. Rising up, he turned to look to the others. Amethyst seemed to be indifferent to it. But Amethyst acted indifferent towards everything. As their eyes met, Amethyst looked at him strangely, almost as if she knew for a while that he'd had something to hide. Then, she slowly nodded to him. A show of respect. One she'd seldom given to anybody, but chosen to give to him here. Eyes widening slightly, he nodded back. Then he turned to Garnet and Pearl, his worst fears being confirmed._ _ _

___Both held a steely gaze at him, weapons ready and in stance. At least, as much of a stance as Garnet could manage at the moment._ _ _

___"You haven't put your weapons away." he pointed out sadly._ _ _

___"Are _you_ of all people going to hold that against us?" Pearl said without any emotion, although her face showed the emotions she was feeling well enough for Serpentine to understand._ _ _

___He sighed. "No. I can't."_ _ _

___"You shattered hundreds of us. What, did you think you could just hide this forever? " Pearl spat, her arms starting to shake on her spear. Steven got an uncomfortable look at that._ _ _

___"Pearl, that's not very-" Steven began, but Pearl cut him off with _that_ stare of hers._ _ _

___"Steven. Stay out of this. Do not make me tell you twice." she said. Steven promptly took a few steps back._ _ _

___She looked to Serpentine again. "Well?" she demanded. "Do you have any answer?" she asked._ _ _

___"I don't know." Serpentine said lamely, hands clutching at his hair, kneading small knots in the green locks. "I don't have any answer for what I have done. I've learned enough to not make excuses" he said, shame choking his voice. Unexpectedly, he let out a quick laugh. Garnet tilted her head at him._ _ _

___"What's so funny?" she asked pointedly._ _ _

___Serpentine looked to her. "I often wondered about what would happen if this day ever came to pass. How you two would instantly become distrustful and hostile to me." he gave them a smile, but this one held no joy. "It's just amusing how correct about it all I was. I wouldn't expect anything less from you. I'd likely do the same in your position." he lamented._ _ _

___"It's because of you that so many of our comrades lie in pieces today." Pearl accused. He nodded. It wasn't wrong, after all. None of what they'd done was wrong._ _ _

___"It's also because of me that millions of my soldiers roam this planet, cursed to a life worse than shattering." he replied, a distant look in his eyes. Garnet frowned at him._ _ _

___"And your point is?" she asked, oddly inquisitive. He looked at them longingly._ _ _

___"Garnet. Pearl. I've lost a lot in my life. Many of my friends have died, shattered, or been corrupted when it was I who deserved to be taken." he started. He looked down at his hands, which he'd uncharacteristically began to wring._ _ _

___"I know I don't deserve any of what you have given me. But please," he continued, looking back up to them._ _ _

___"I've lost so much. Please. Please, don't take _this_ from me as well." he pleaded to them._ _ _

___Garnet and Pearl looked to each other, a short, contemplative, and silent conversation being carried out between the two. They then looked back to him. Neither said anything for a long while._ _ _

___"Amethyst?" Garnet asked finally. Serpentine was astounded. Were they actually considering this?_ _ _

___Amethyst crossed her arms in front of her chest, turning her head away slightly._ _ _

___"He's never meant us any harm ever since I met him. I don't care about whatever he did back then, whatever he used to be. He's not the same guy now." She turned back, smirking at him._ _ _

___"Besides, I for one would probably go crazy without his witty repartee. Let him stay." she said._ _ _

___Garnet and Pearl looked to each other again, and nodded._ _ _

___"Alright then. You can stay with us." she said. Serpentine breathed out with relief._ _ _

___"Thank you. Thank you so much." he said. Pearl held up her hand._ _ _

___"We're not ready to trust you fully right away. This is going to take a lot of getting used to, and there will be no more secrets. You’re going to explain everything to us. Understand?" she said strictly. Serpentine nodded with a grateful smile._ _ _

___"That's fair." he conceded. "Alright. I think we're done here. Let's go home." he said._ _ _

___"Wait, why they didn't ask me?" Steven asked with confusion. Serpentine laughed at him._ _ _

___"Because they think you don't know better, Steven. And frankly, they're right. You trust me without question despite me being just as much of a monster as the ones I have slain." he answered. Steven frowned, and grabbed hold of his wrist._ _ _

___"I don't think you're a monster." he retorted. "That has to count for something, right?"_ _ _

___Serpentine stared down at the boy, not sure of what to say. Steven felt a little bad, realizing he might have said something out of line. But then, he felt himself being lifted, and Serpentine brought him into a tight embrace, lean arms holding the boy close to his chest. Relieved, Steven reciprocated, burying his head into the male gem's shoulder, suddenly feeling a slight wetness on his own._ _ _

___"Yes." Serpentine said through his tears. "It does."_ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> This is set around midway through the first season as I have stated before.
> 
> Again, I'll hopefully have more of these quick little tidbits for you to see in the near future, as well as much more.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read this if you do. Merry belated Christmas, and Happy belated New Year. Friendzone out.


End file.
